and here begins a new age
by Smeagolia
Summary: "I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones / Enough to make my systems blow / Welcome to the new age, to the new age." A collection of stories about the beloved Next Generation.
1. New Life

**Characters: Hagrid (80), Hermione (29), Ron (29), Hugo (0)**

Hagrid charged through the halls of St. Mungo's Hospital like a bull, his hairy jacket billowing behind him and the dead rabbit he had hastily shoved into one of his many large pockets was threatening to escape and fall on the floor. His scraggily beard, now white with age whipped across his chest as he ran. For anyone who caught a glance of the half-giant rampaging through the pristine halls and trampling with muddy boots across spotless tile floors, he would look very out of place. But Rubeus Hagrid was on a mission. After missing the births of James, Albus, Rose, and Lily, Hagrid's favorite students' children, he'd made it his life goal to be there for the birth of Ron and Hermione's second child, or else he'd hate himself.

"Woaw, there! Slow down!" A young Healer called, throwing out her hands against Hagrid's chest to stop him once he had reached the maternity ward.

"Ron! Hermione! I – I gotta be there!" Hagrid protested, gasping for breath. He tried to push past the Healer, but she jumped in front of him.

"Calm down, sir. Rubeus Hagrid, are you? Yes, the Weasley's said you might come by. Right this way."

Hagrid rubbed his aching sides as he followed the Healer through a series of doors until they entered a small room with a large section curtained off. From behind the crisp white curtain he could hear the sound of labored breath and two voices talking in low and soothing tones. The Healer gestured to a couple plastic chairs against the wall, then smiled sheepishly and looked up at Hagrid.

"Er – they may be a little small, sorry about that. Please wait here. They should be out soon." She picked up a clipboard and promptly left, leaving Hagrid to pace the small room anxiously to the beat of Hermione's heavy breathing. Finally after what felt like ages the curtain was pulled back. Hagrid rushed forward, his elderly face breaking into an ear-to-ear grin and his eyes shining brightly.

"Hagrid," Hermione said weakly from the bed, one hand wrapped protectively around her bawling new baby and the other clasping tightly to Ron's. A Healer stood off to the side, watching with a small smile. "Would you like to hold him?" Hermione asked, lifting her newborn son from the blankets.

Hagrid lifted the screaming baby from her arms with a gentleness that never could have been expected from such a giant man. Even less expected was the tear that leaked from his eye and was lost in his beard. He tried to speak, but all that came out was a choking rasp. There were no words for this moment. A moment of new life, memories, and love.

"He's real beautiful." Hagrid finally managed, and his rumbling voice made the baby's cry falter. The tiny boy looked up at his with a scrunched red face and squinty blue eyes. His wet mouth stretched out and the corners turned up just the slightest bit. Tears streamed from Hagrid's eyes as he smiled back. "He smiled at me." He choked.

"Hagrid, do you know what we named the baby?" Ron asked, as he wiped tears from his own cheeks with his free hand. "We named him Hugo. Hugo Rubeus Weasley. We would like you to be the godfather, if you'd like."

This put Hagrid over the edge. Tears burst forth and he blubbered loudly and cradled Hugo Rebeus Weasley close to his chest. "I – I would like that. I l-love him, and I love y-you guys too."

The Healer pulled a camera from her pocket, lifted it silently, and took a picture; capturing this moment forever.


	2. Daring Beginnings

**Characters: Teddy (17), Victoire (16)**

Victoire doodled absentmindedly in her notebook, barely listening to what her friend Emily was saying. It was Easter holiday at Hogwarts, and Victoire had proposed the idea of sitting out on the lawn – both to enjoy a break from the blustering snows of winter and sneak secret peeks at Teddy Lupin.

"So that's why I broke up with Edward. Hey, Victoire! Were you even listening?" Emily pouted. Victoire blinked her way out of her reverie and into the harsh reality – where a certain blue haired boy wouldn't give her a second glance.

Emily's frown turned into a sly grin as she looked over Victoire's shoulder. "Now what do we have here?" She smirked and snatched away Victoire's notebook.

"Hey! Give that back!" Victoire cried as Emily's smile grew. She jabbed a finger at a sketch in the corner. Victoire wasn't much of an artist, her talents lay else where, but it was obvious what it was supposed to be.

"A wedding dress, huh? And who would the groom be? Oh, perhaps – " Emily turned the page and held it up. In the corner was a miniscule heart, and inside that heart Victoire had written a name. "Teddy." Emily finished with a triumphant grin.

Victoire yanked her notebook back, clutching it protectively to her chest. "And I suppose you're going to laugh at me?" She replied tightly, still blushing violently. Emily waved the notion away.

"No, I think it's cute." Her voice lowered and she flashed Victoire an impish grin. "Come on, the seventh years are playing truth or dare over there, and Teddy's playing!"

Victoire bit her lip, gazing over at the circle of teenagers sitting by the lake. Her eyes zeroed in on a tanned boy with ruffled turquoise hair. His eyes were crinkled up how they did when he was laughing. Her heart clenched with excitement and nervousness at the thought of going over there. She remembered with a grimace the many, _many _times Victoire had acted like a total idiot in front of Teddy. She just got so nervous when she was around him!

"I don't know, maybe we should just – "

Emily grabbed her arm. "Come _on_, Victoire! Don't be scared, you're Victoire Weasley – _he_ should be scared of _you!_"

Victoire sighed. Emily was right. She shouldn't be afraid. "Okay." She said determinedly.

Emily clapped her hands excitedly and the two made their way to the edge of the lake. Drake Oliver, one of the seventh years, waved to them as they approached.

"Hey Victoire, Emily!" He called eagerly. "We're playing truth or dare! Wanna play?" Emily nudged Victoire in the ribs.

"Oh, sure!" Victoire replied breathlessly. Over half of the boys in the circle scooted over to make room for them – everyone wanted to sit by beautiful veela-blooded Victoire, but she only had eyes for one boy.

Teddy waved to her and patted the ground next to him. Victoire glanced at Emily, who gave her an encouraging thumbs up. Victoire seated herself between Teddy and Emily. She focused her red face on Drake so Teddy wouldn't see blush. She knew she should talk to him, but she found herself at a loss of word, like she always did around Teddy.

"Victoire! Truth or dare?" Drake asked.

"Oh, erm – truth." She said, silently cursing her stammer. _Why can't I talk like a normal person? _

Drake grinned. "If you had to go out with one guy in this circle, who would you choose?" Victoire groaned inwardly as the majority of the boys leaned in to hear her answer.

Victoire's stomach clenched uncomfortably. The question wasn't hard in the least, it was the consequences of answering that she was worried about. Teddy would be forced to admit that he had no feelings for her, which would probably be worse than not knowing how he felt. Victoire had the option of not answering, but then she would be declared chicken, and confident, popular, beautiful Victoire Weasley was _not _a chicken. She could lie; there were plenty of good-looking boys who were dying for her to choose them. Victoire bit her lip. She felt Emily touch her arm.

"You don't have to answer, you know." She breathed.

Victoire raised her head and smiled flirtatiously. She tapped her chin and gave each boy a teasing look. "I think I'd choose… Teddy."

She snuck a glance his way to see his reaction. A look of mild shock passed over his face and the ends of his hair turned scarlet. Victoire's heart dropped like lead from her chest. Was shock good or bad? As she watched out of the corner of her eye, Teddy's face took on a slight smile and his eyes flicked to her for a brief moment as his friends beat on his back in congratulations. Maybe he did like her? But when she looked back, the moment between them was gone, and he was talking to his friends again, his hair now a lemony yellow.

Victoire had troubles concentrating on the rest of the game. To someone who wasn't trying to untangle the cryptic ways of Teddy Lupin it might have been interesting; Emily dared her ex-boyfriend Edward to take a swim with the giant squid, Alvin Harris was sent inside on a mission to steal a pair of Professor McGonagal's underpants from her dormitory, and Ellie Bell admitted that the most embarrassing moment of her life was when she accidentally set Professor Abbot's eyebrows on fire with a floating candle in the Great Hall. Victoire only came to her senses when Corey Wiltkins called to Teddy from across the circle.

"Hey, Teddy! Truth or dare?"

"Dare."

Corey thought for a while, obviously wanting to come up with a good dare to get back at Teddy for making him dance half naked around the infamous Whomping Willow.

"Go into the Forbidden Forest," Corey began, grinning like the devil. "And kiss Victoire behind that big tree with the red stuff splattered on it."

Victoire almost had to double over because the butterflies in her stomach came so suddenly and so strong. Who knew love could hurt? Teddy's confidant smile fell away to be replaced by a grim smile that made Victoire want to cry. He looked like he's just been given a death sentence, not dared to kiss her!

Victoire pinched her arm. No crying allowed. She was Victoire Weasley, and she doesn't back down to a dare. She stood up and laughed lightly. "Well, Teddy, a dare's a dare!" Her voice sounded shaky and high pitched in her ears.

Teddy nodded and stood, and she walked by his side to the Forbidden Forest, barely conscience of the envious eyes following Teddy.

Victoire glanced at his hair, which was rapidly changing color. Teddy had told her once that a lot of times when his emotion changed, it changed his hair without him realizing. She sighed. She wished things were simple like they had once been, when he was nothing more than the blue haired boy who lived with Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny, who helped Victoire babysit her numerous younger cousins, when she didn't care if he thought of her as only a friend. When she realized she had liked him, things had fallen apart. They rarely talked anymore because Victoire couldn't carry a conversation with him.

They entered the Forbidden Forest, and weaved their way along the well-worn path to what was known among the students as the Red Tree, a giant oak speckled with mysterious dried up red liquid.

Victoire looked back to the circle by the lake, but the trees were too thick for her to see through. She wondered what Teddy was thinking right now, if he could sense that her heart was racing a million miles an hour and that the blood was building in her face in a deep blush. She wondered if he could sense how much she liked him.

Victoire turned his way and was surprised to find him staring at her. His eyes were an intense green, and his hair had changed back to yellow. She opened her mouth to say something potentially stupid when Teddy surged forwards without warning, closing the space between them.

Teddy's hands were confident, gently but firmly tilting up her chin. Victoire's skin prickled with warmth wherever he touched her, and the butterflies in her stomach threatened to burst out, as he leaned in closer.

Then he kissed her.

He smelt like pine needles, which was officially Victoire's favorite smell. The butterflies inside her flapped their wings faster and faster and faster, creating a new sensation like having warm liquid spread from her stomach to her arms and legs and fingers and toes.

Victoire, being the girl she was, had kissed countless boys this, but none she had liked as much as Teddy. Kissing those other boys felt different. This felt right, like she was right where she belonged – which was by Teddy's side.

But it was over all too soon, and Teddy released Victoire and stepped back. His hair was bright pink with yellow streaks running through it, and she wondered what that meant. He examined her face intently, a small smile playing over his lips.

"Were you telling the truth? When you said you would go out with me? Of all those boys?"

Victoire took a deep breath. She'd gotten this far, hadn't she? She might as well go all in at this point.

"Yes, I was telling the truth."

He looked over her carefully. "What about the whole school? Would you date me out of all the boys at Hogwarts?"

Her lips parted to answer but he interrupted her.

"Please tell me the truth, don't bother sparing my feelings."

She answered with certainty. "Yes, I would date you out of all the boys in the whole school."

He smiled slyly. "Would you kiss me again if you got the chance?"

"Yes, yes I would."

Teddy laughed and Victoire couldn't help but join in as Teddy pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace. Victoire's heart soared. This moment had always been a far away fantasy for her, but now it was real.

"Do you like me?" She asked through her uncontrollable smile, and Teddy grinned in response, his eyes crinkling up the way Victoire loved.

"No, I don't _like_ you. I _really really _like you."

"Me too. I really really like you too."


	3. A Perfect Family

**Characters: Hermione (29), Ron (29), Rose (2), Hugo (0)**

Hermione knew all families had their ups and downs. It was part of being human; everyone didn't get along _all _the time. But she was starting to worry her family was having a little too many downs, and not enough ups.

It started as soon as she brought Hugo home from the hospital. Harry and Ginny had been babysitting Rose until Hermione and Ron got back. Hermione remembered walking through the door with her beautiful newborn baby in her arms and her amazing husband's hand on her shoulder. It was the perfect moment. Hugo had his mother's thick hair and his father's sparkling blue eyes. He was all wrinkly and tiny, with his little fists curled around the edges of his blanket.

Ginny and Harry rushed to meet them with Rose, Albus and James swinging from their arms. Ginny fawned over little Hugo, rubbing her own pregnant belly as she stroked the baby's downy hair. Harry slapped Ron on the back in congratulations, shouting that Hugo looked just like his father. James stood on his tiptoes to see over Hermione's arms to see what was hidden inside the bundle of blankets. He broke out in a gap tooth grin when he saw the baby, and he exclaimed it was the cutest thing ever. Harry lifted Albus up so he could see, and he reached his pudgy two-year-old hands out to touch the baby's cheek. Rose was the only one who held back.

She was only two, and didn't entirely understand the concept of a new baby. She didn't understand why all the adults were so excited and loud. What was so amazing about this wrinkly doll in mommy's arms?

"Want to see your new brother?" Ron asked her, lifting her up. Rose peered at the creature swaddled in blankets. "Hugo is going to be your little brother, just like Albus is James's little brother." Ron explained.

"When is it going home?" Rose asked. Her parents chuckled.

"_This_ is his home, sweetie. He's going to live here. Remember daddy and I set up that room next to yours for him?" Hermione said gently.

Rose frowned in confusion. "Why is he not at his mommy's house?" Her parents laughed again, but this time it had a nervous ring to it. Hermione and Ron had already explained all this to Rose, but she obviously hadn't completely understood.

"I'm his mommy, Rosie, I'm his mommy _and_ your mommy." Hermione watched as Rose's face crinkled up before her eyes.

"But you're _my _mommy!" She whined, waving a fist in the air. Her parents exchanged nervous looks.

"She'll always be your mommy, but she's also Hugo's mommy now, you two are going to share us." Ron said, patting her red ponytail.

A tear leaked out of Rose's eye. "I don't want to." She murmured, her lip quivering.

* * *

"Ron! RON!" Hermione hollered down the stairs. Her husband appeared at the bottom, Rose sitting happy-go-lucky in his arms.

"Where's Hugo?" Hermione said franticly. "I thought he was with you."

Ron's lips parted. "I thought you had him."

"Well don't just stand there, help me find him! He's only six months, he can't be too hard to find." Hermione ordered, panic rising inside her like acid.

Ron dropped Rose in her playpen and set to searching the house for his son. About five minutes into the hunt he heard the ghost of a cry coming from upstairs. Ron followed the sound and soon found himself at the doorway of Rose's room. He let the sound of bawling lead his to her crib, and sure enough, Hugo was lying underneath it among the dust bunnies and stray toys.

Ron quickly pulled his child out from under the bed. "How on _earth _did you get under there?" He asked Hugo, who responded by crying louder. Ron attempted to sooth the wailing child as he called for his wife.

"My baby was under Rose's crib?!" Hermione shrieked after Ron explained what happened. "I thought you were watching him!" Ron took a step back and opened him mouth to defend himself from his near crazed wife when he was interrupted with a call from downstairs.

Hermione sighed. "That would be Rose asking for her snack. We'll settle this later." She marched downstairs with Hugo in her arms, and settled him next to Rose in her playpen. Rose's face visibly fell when the baby was placed next to her.

"Why do you have him? I don't want to play with him no more."

Hermione's face fell to match Rose's. "Hold on sweetie, I'm going to get you a snack." She said, forcing a smile.

She met Ron in the kitchen and let herself slump exhaustedly into his arms. "Oh, Ron. Rose put Hugo there! Remember she has that habit where she throws toys she doesn't want under her bed? Well when I brought Hugo into her playpen, she said she doesn't want to play with him anymore! She tried to throw out her brother, Ron! What are we going to do?" She groaned.

Ron stroked her hair. "We'll figure it out. Every child goes through a faze like this, but they'll get through it, don't worry."

* * *

Teddy lifted Rose up onto his shoulders. "Come on, Rosie, let's go wake up your brother so we can go the park!"

Rose giggled and pulled handfuls of Teddy's hair. She loved when Teddy babysat. He was so much fun.

Teddy lifted and hand from Rose's leg to push open the door to Hugo's room when Rose gave a kick and a cry.

"Stop!" She cried, and Teddy's hand froze.

"What's the matter, Rosie?" He asked worriedly.

"I don't have a brother." Rose told him, smirking a little. Under different circumstances Teddy would have laughed to see the toddler smirking. "Let's go to the park without him because I don't have a brother. I don't share mommy and daddy because I don't have a brother."

Teddy felt his heart clench. He'd heard Ron talking to Harry about Rose's dislike for her brother, but he's never witnessed it. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do.

"Come on, don't be silly, Rose, you do have a brother, and his name is Hugo! If we don't take him to the park with us, we can't go. Do you want to take him with us, or stay here?"

Rose kicked her legs again. "Fine." She said with a big sigh. Teddy reached out to open the door but Rose cried out again.

"No! I said we can stay here!"

Teddy had to work to hide his shock. Rose loved the park. She would rather stay here then bring her brother with them?

"Are you sure, Rose? The park is really fun!"

"Yeah, I'm sure! Let's do puzzle!" Rose said, her sweet demeanor back.

* * *

As the months went by, Hermione found it harder to find comfort in Ron's words. Was this really only a phase? How long would it last? It broke her heart to see her children like this. Why couldn't they get along like Albus and baby Lily? Hermione worried that it was her fault. What was she doing wrong as a mother?

Hermione quickly let this problem slip to the back of her mind as a new problem dawned. Hugo had somehow caught a magical virus that was settling in his lungs, causing them to swell and making it hard for him to breathe. Ron and Hermione rushed him to St. Mungo's when they found him gasping for air, slightly blue faced in the middle of the night.

"I'm sure he'll be fine honey, the healers can fix this." Ron whispered to Hermione while they shifted anxiously in plastic straight back chairs outside Hugo's hospital room. He tried to calm his wife's panicked breathes but he could barely calm his own. Hugo wasn't even a year old, he couldn't leave them yet!

The couple's heads jerked up when they heard footsteps, and they saw a nurse striding down the hall with Ginny and Rose jogging to keep up. Ginny sighed with relief when she saw them.

"There you are! I'm sorry, I know this isn't a good time, and you told me to watch Rose, but she wouldn't stop crying unless I promised to bring her to you!" She looked down at the scrubbed floors. "Sorry."

Hermione forced a tight smile. "It's alright, Ginny, thank you." She scooped her daughter into her arms. "How are you, Rosie?"

Rose frowned deeply and lifted her hand to her mother's face. She touched Hermione's lips with her chubby fingers.

"Why is mommy sad? Why is daddy sad? Why is auntie sad?"

Hermione had to smile a little. For a toddler, Rose was very observant. She sighed and put a hand on Ron's arm. He nodded a little.

"Rosie, we're sad because your brother Hugo is sick. We love him very much but he might go away from us because he's too sick. So we're sad because we'll miss him." She felt tears spring to her eyes as she explained, but she made herself stay strong for Rose.

Rose's eyes watered too. "Hue? Hue? Where is Hue?"

If "Hue" hadn't been in the next room, close to death, Hermione would have laughed for joy. This was the first time Rose had ever called her brother by name; she usually referred to him as "him" or "my brother." Was this a sign that Rose was becoming fonder of him?

Rose started crying. "What's wrong with Hue? Where will Hue go? I don't want Hue to go! I love him too!"

At that moment the door beside them opened sharply and a healer poked her head out.

"Your son will survive, you may come see him."

Hermione let her tears go, but this time they were tears of joy. Rose slipped from her lap as she stood up, and the little girl waddled after her parents and aunt. Like she had when he was first brought home, Rose stood back from the crowd of adults swarming around her little brother.

"Daddy, I want to see Hue!" She called over the noise. At her command Ron swung her up onto the bed next to Hugo, who was curled in blankets, eyeing the people around him.

Rose put her arms around his, resting her head on his small shoulder before sitting back and patting his head. "Is Hue going to stay now, mommy?"

Hermione nodded, too happy for words. She couldn't figure out how this moment could be anymore perfect, until it did.

Hugo lifted a tiny fist into the air and smiled that slobbery, toothless, adorable smile that only babies have.

"Ose!" He declared, and Rose clapped with delight.

"Mommy, daddy, he said my name!" She grinned widely and patted Hugo on the head again. "I have the best brother ever."


	4. A Mind of its Own

**Characters: Lily (13-14), Lorcan (13-14)**

It didn't take Lily long to realize love was a strange thing. Wrapped up in her school girl crushes, she could never figure out if she enjoyed having a boy that made her heart flutter and her palms sweat. When she did, she wanted it to stop; the stress of always worrying if you're saying the right thing, the jealous glares find yourself shooting at the girl who sits next to him in Potions class, always wondering what comes to his mind when someone calls your name. It was so much work. And what did Lily get in return for the hours she wasted thinking about him during class? Nothing but a bad grade due to lack of attention towards the teacher. But when she found herself without a boy to fret over, she wished she had one, especially when her friends whispered and gossiped about how cute their crush's hair looked against the snow and the glance they had received from the boy who sat next to then at lunch, and how it must mean _something_. It made her head throb. Why was it all so confusing?

Lily set to work immediately in her quest to figure out love. She purchased a leather bound journal from Uncle George and Aunt Angie's joke shop, a special one that wouldn't open to anyone but the owner, and she dedicated it to her studies on this insane emotion humans called love.

She wrote entries as much as she could, reporting to her journal on who her friends fancied, who they thought was cute, who they considered a possible candidate for their future boyfriend. She wanted to write about her crush, so she could get right inside the head of a lover, but it was hard now, to have a crush, when she wanted one.

_Real love sneaks up on you,_ she wrote.

Lily tried her hardest to steer her journal away from diaryhood, but she often found herself writing about which boys she hated, which ones frustrated her, which ones she had to fight the urge not to trip when they passed her in the hall. She found herself scribbling about one boy in particular, who she and her friend Mary had been assigned to work with in Charms class.

Lorcan was horribly annoying. But he made her laugh. His jokes made her laugh; yet it was annoying. Lily's head hurt. This didn't make sense. She knew she should hate Charms class because she had to work with the annoying boy, but somehow she found herself looking forward to it. This made even less sense.

_Mary told me in the Great Hall at breakfast that Lorcan said she had squirrel cheeks, _Lily wrote one night by the light of her wand. This was the second time this week that Lorcan had had something snide to say about Mary. Now Lily was angry, annoyed, and looked forward to seeing him all at the same time! She stared down at her journal miserably. This study of love was going nowhere.

The project in Charms was over and Lorcan had moved back to a table with his friends. She was only partly surprised when she discovered she was disappointed. She didn't hear from that much anymore, and her entries shrunk, the pages filled with the weak gossip she heard from her friends.

_Diane told us she had a crush today. She says she really, really likes him, so much that she might _love _him. I wonder if she actually does. What draws the line between harmless crushes and full out _love_? I asked James what he though, because he has had girlfriend for almost a year, so I thought he might know. He said you love someone when you just want to grab their face and kiss them. He was laughing when he said that. I should've known James wouldn't be a reliable source. _

Lily went home for Christmas break, and on Christmas Eve, her parents' anniversary, all her uncles and aunts and cousins came over. They all ate and laughed by candlelight until her mother said it was time for everyone to go to bed. Lily whined loudly at that.

_I'm 13 now! Why can't I stay up with the grownups? _She wrote after her mother closed the door of her room. She tore the page out angrily, silently scolding herself. This was a research journal, _not _a diary.

She heard the sound of laughter and turned to look out the window. Her father was spinning her mother around in the snow outside. They were clumsy dancers, especially in their snow boots, but their laughter and rosy faces made it beautiful. _What made them love each other?_ She wondered as she watched them dance from her window. Her father tripped on a stick hidden in the snow and fell backwards, pulling her mother with him. She landed on his chest, laughing heartily. They shared a kiss. Lily turned away cringing. Grownup love was gross.

At school she found herself paired once again with Lorcan, this time is Astronomy class. He was funny, but Lily didn't reward him by laughing. Lorcan had insulted her friend, after all.

One night Lily scratched out a description of Lorcan when she was supposed to be doing homework.

_He has dirty blond hair that's kind of longish, so it curls around his ears and the back of his neck. His eyes are blue, and they kind of crinkle up when he laughs. His teeth are kind of crooked and his nose is round, but it looks good on him. He has this breathy sort of laugh too, but it's kind of cute. _

She frowned at her description. Why did she make his flaws sound endearing? She slashed an angry line through the words, ripping a hole in the paper. Lily did not like Lorcan. He was annoying and mean to Mary. She did not like him.

Weeks slid by and Lily had to face the truth. She liked Lorcan. She hated herself for it. Lorcan was mean to Mary! She couldn't like him; it was a betrayal to their friendship.

_You can't choose who you fancy._

she wrote. It seemed fair enough.

Lily needed to tell someone about her new found crush. She _had _to. There was a ghost of an ache in the back of her throat, waiting to be released along with the news of her new crush. She couldn't choose Mary to tell, she would probably hate her. Lily settled on Claire. They were very close and told each other almost everything. Claire was the only person who knew about Lily's research journal.

"I think I like Lorcan." She had murmured in a hushed voice once the common room was empty. Claire smiled.

"He's a nice guy." She said approvingly.

"I know." Lily said, unsure if that was true. Was he a nice guy? She remembered her description of him, how she had smoothed over his flaws, because through her eyes they were okay. Had she smoothed over the flaws in his personality as well, without even knowing it?

Lily discovered something new soon after spilling her feelings to Claire. Once you tell someone, it makes it more official, more real. Now the real symptoms of love were showing up. Lily's heart raced when she spoke to Lorcan, and her face turned a ripe scarlet. She couldn't lie to herself now. She had a crush on Lorcan.

Lily was excited to write that over a couple months she and Lorcan became what could be called friends.

_Lorcan and I worked on a project together in Astronomy. We were allowed to move and work with someone else if we wanted to, but he worked with me! _

Lily couldn't deny the warm feeling bubbling up in her chest.

One morning the Astronomy professor called Lily to her desk. She knew she couldn't be in trouble, Lily was a good student and she always followed the rules, but she felt her stomach knot despite that. Turns out she had something different to worry about. The teacher was planning a new seating chart, and since Lily was one of the well behaved kids, the teacher would let her choose her seat.

Lily's heart dropped. _A new seating chart, _she moaned in her head, _which means I won't sit by Lorcan anymore. _ She pointed to a seat near the board, so at least she would be able to see what the teacher wrote, even if it wasn't by Lorcan.

A couple days later Lily yanked her journal from the pile of cloaks in her trunk where she hid it. She wrote with such excitement that she got inkblots all over that page to the point where it was illegible and she had to start over.

_We changed seats today and by some miracle I'm still assigned a seat next to Lorcan! Sometimes I wonder if the teachers ever figure out who likes who and tries to pair them up. Anyway, the teacher in Astronomy told this story about the myths the muggles had that went along with the constellations and stars, and Lorcan and I were laughing and laughing through the whole thing. We got told off for disrupting class, but I didn't mind. I felt like Lorcan and I were real friends._

Lily was surprised when she felt her mouth curled into a smile as she wrote, and her chest ached. She frowned and shot her chest a sharp look. Why did her chest hurt when she was happy?

_Perhaps that saying is actually true, that love hurts._

The school year was inching to a close. Gossip had it that Lorcan had a crush on Helena, and he was planning on asking her out. Lily took the news like a bullet to the chest, or rather the heart. She lay face down in bed, jabbing her thumb at the spot over her heart, trying to sooth the pain with pain. She smiled grimly at the irony.

Luckily this newfound development didn't stop Lorcan and Lily from being friends. Someone had thought up a couple name for Lorcan and Helena, "Lorna," and Lily was delighted with this new tool for torture. She would whisper it in his ear when they passed in the hall and he would laugh and roll his eyes. This made Lily's heart soar.

That night she settled down to write in her journal. She wrote a list of all the boys she'd ever had a crush on, and realized, thinking back, that every crush she had was bigger than the last. This new crush on Lorcan was the biggest crush she'd ever had. Thoughts of Lorcan dominated her mind most of the day, and everything she did was based off what she thought Lorcan would approve of.

_If every crush you have is bigger than the last, does it go on and on until you like someone so much that you love them an get married? _

She put down her quill and thought back to that night she had watched her parents outside in the snow. How many crushes had it taken them to get to that point?

Exams were over and there was only one or two weeks left until the students rode the train back to King's Cross. Most of Lily's classes, including Astronomy, were starting to slow down. Her Astronomy teacher let the students play educational based games in class while she buried herself in her love novel. Lily's heart almost burst when Lorcan sat voluntarily next to her and they played a game together.

Lorcan's father, like Lily's grandfather, had an insane interest in Muggle artifacts, and both families owned a telephone, even if all they used it for was to collect dust. Lorcan scribbled down his phone number on a scrap of parchment and handed it to her.

"Call me over summer vacation if you can." He had said, and Lily eagerly gave him her number.

Summer came. Lily called Lorcan once or twice, but neither one knew what to say, and their conversations were short and awkward. Lily was terribly disappointed. She never let herself forget though, the little piece of parchment she taped into her journal, marked with Lorcan's hasty scrawl. _He _had given _her _is number! That must mean _something._

Over summer vacation, Lily slowly forgot about Lorcan. She knew that his parents and hers were close, but Lorcan's family always went away traveling to one exotic place or another when he and his brother were out of school, so the Potters never really came in contact with the Scamanders. Without the never-ending gossip about who liked who, Lily's research came to a halt. Her journal was soon lost in the mess under her bed.

School came once more, and Lily was pulled into the hustle and bustle of her fourth year of Hogwarts. She didn't really think she liked Lorcan anymore. She was going to note that in her journal, that if you don't see your crush for a long time, your feelings start to fade, but she realized she had never pulled her book out of the pile of dust bunnies under her bed.

She went along her way as usual, navigating her way through her new schedule and classes. Her last class of the day was Transfiguration, and she was just sitting down when she noticed a familiar blond head in the back row. Lorcan.

Lily breath sounded ragged in her ears and she could hear each pulse of her heart and the rush of blood to her head. Worst of all was her chest, she felt like someone just ran it through with a broomstick. She rubbed her temples and closed her eyes. It was only Lorcan. Why was she having this reaction to seeing him? Maybe, all the love symptoms had built up inside her because she never saw him, and then when she did, for the first time in months, it just exploded out of her like water bursting from a broken dam.

Over the next couple days Lily could never decide if she should dread or look forward to Transfiguration. She chuckled gravely to herself. Had the cycle started over then? Here she was again, unsure if she liked being around him or not.

Lorcan made an attempt to rekindle their friendship, but Lily was ashamed to admit she was no help. She couldn't explain it. She just couldn't speak. She never knew what to say. All she could do was nod and giggle. What had happened to her?

After a couple weeks Lorcan stopped trying, and Lily didn't blame him. It was like trying to carry a conversation with a baby. All it can do is giggle.

Lorcan moved on to a new girl in class, Haven. Lily watched with a scowl on her face as Haven became to the new Lily. Lorcan laughed with her, sat next to her in class, and worked with her on projects.

Each day Lily told herself she would step up and take back her boy, but she couldn't. She just _couldn't. _Instead she watched him from a distance, daydreaming about the day she would overcome her shyness and talk to him. She knew deep down that day would never come.

She watched with dismay and a heart full of pain as Lorcan slowly fell for Haven. He would deny it, but she could tell. It was as clear as day that Haven felt the same way to. It was hopeless.

Christmas spun it's way into Lily's pathetic life, and she tried to concentrate on the festivities, but it was awfully hard when Lorcan handed Haven a Christmas card right before her eyes. A Christmas card. That definitely means something.

Lily felt yet another stab to her shredded heart when Lorcan came back from Christmas break with his new _girlfriend _Haven at his side. She had long given up on her study of love. It made no sense. Nothing made sense. Lily hid in the bathroom for the rest of the day, moaning along with Moaning Myrtle.

Her life went on, but it was always there; the stress of always worrying if you're saying the right thing, the jealous glares find yourself shooting at the girl who sits next to him in Potions class, always wondering what comes to his mind when someone calls your name. _Love is overrated. _Lily scoffed to herself.

Another year at Hogwarts ended before she knew it, and boarded the train with a heavy heart – or what was left of her heart. Just as she was turning away from the platform she saw Haven stand on her tiptoes to give Lorcan a peck on the cheek. Lily hated the world.

Back in her bedroom at home, Lily pulled her journal from under the bed and leafed through it. Her heart throbbed when she came to the part where she had taped the parchment with Lorcan's phone number. She shook her head sadly and skipped to the last page. She pulled out her quill and dipped it carefully in the pot of ink on her bedside table before marking the last empty page in her journal.

_I don't know why I bothered trying to figure out love. It has a mind of it's own. _


	5. Thorns and Roses

**A/N: Written for Fire the Canon**

**Characters: Rose (20), Ron (46)**

"Dad?" Ron looked up from his desk to see the tall and thin figure in the doorway. Her earnest brown eyes were serious under a set brow and her slender fingers played with a strand of her trademark Weasley hair, a habit she had when she was nervous. Ron sat back in his chair and forced an exhausted smile on his face.

"What is it Rosie?" He asked. Rose looked down at her shoes, sliding her hands into the pockets of her ripped skinny jeans.

"I have to tell you something." Ron groaned inwardly at her words, trying to imagine what rebellious deed 20-year-old Rose had been up to this time. A couple weeks ago she announced she'd traded all her sensible t-shirts and jeans for skimpy goth miniskirts and far-from-modest crop tops at a swap meet. Last Friday she came home bearing a tattoo of a burning rose on her arm. The next day Ron had gotten a call from the Muggle police saying his own daughter had vandalized the local preschool, being rash enough to sign her name at the bottom of her spray paint masterpiece. And just yesterday Rose had come home with a new nose piercing to show off. Ron had been fighting the urge to yell, "Who are you and what have you done with my Rosie" for a while, and he cringed at the thought of what she could have done now.

Rose took a deep breath and pulled her left hand from her pocket, laying it flat with fingers splayed in front of Ron. His eyes slid over her black nail polish and the inappropriate word written with magic marker across the back of her hand. Rose watched the corners of her father's mouth turn downwards as his eyes zeroed in on the silver band around her ring finger, blank save the engraving "R+S." Ron closed his eyes, taking slow breathes.

"Rose Nymphadora Weasley. Please don't tell me that's an engagement ring." Rose snatched her hand to her chest as if she was afraid her father might attempt to steal her ring from her.

"Dad, I love him. So I agreed when he proposed." Ron pressed the heels of his palms to his eyelids, trying to stay calm.

"Rose. You are only 20 and you have to listen to me – "

"No, you have to listen to me!" Rose cried, on the verge of tears. "Scorpius loves me and I love him and I'm not only 20! I'm 20! I'm an adult! I'm not the child you seem to think I am and I can make my own decisions, and this is what I decided!" She broke off with a sob. "You always baby me!"

When her father spoke, his voice was gentle. Rose almost wished he'd just yell at her and get it over with. "Rosie, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I have been treating you like a child. It's just that you're changing so fast, and I miss the little girl who needed hugs when she had a nightmare and kisses when she stubbed her toe. You are a grownup now and I should trust your decisions. But I just don't want you to get hurt. Some of your choices lately haven't been top-notch and your mum and I are worried. Are you sure you're doing the right thing? I want you to feel like the grownup you are, but I also want you to be safe because I love you."

Rose's lip quivered. "I love you too Daddy." She was surprised the name had come out of her mouth; she hadn't called him that since she was 10. "I'm sorry too. I'm sorry I traded away my clothes and got that tattoo and vandalized the preschool and got that piercing and stole the "today's specials" whiteboard from Three Broomsticks – "

"Wait, what?! I never heard anything about – " Rose held up her hand.

"Anyway I'm sorry I've been such a lousy daughter, and that I haven't been necessarily doing the right thing lately. I'm sorry I'm not the little girl I was. But I'm not sorry I said yes to Scorpius. I'm not sure about a lot of things, but I am sure that I belong with Scorpius." She paused to wipe a tear from her heavily lined eyes. "And I may be an adult now, but I still need you to give me hugs and kisses."

She glanced at her father, who enveloped her in his arms and pressed his lips to her forehead. "I want to be the first name on the guest list for the wedding." He said into her hair. Rose laughed.

"I love you Dad."

**A/N: Reviews are appreciated.**


	6. Breaking Tradition

**Characters: Amy (27), Albus (27)**

Amy Longbottom patted down her hair impatiently for the fourth time within the last minute. She heard the squeak of the café door and her head shot up excitedly. A plump old man with a scraggly beard entered with a skinny middle-aged woman hanging on his arm. Amy sighed. _Where was he? _

The door squealed again and Amy sighed with relief when Albus entered, looking flustered. He scanned the room, his green eyes that Amy loved brightening when they fell on her. She waved to him from her lonely booth, running a finger over the velvet box hidden in her pocket. Her stomach turned with a vile mixture of nervousness and excitement.

Albus slid into the bench across from her, smiling breathlessly. "Sorry I'm late, Ames. My boss wouldn't let me leave until I finished that paper I was writing for him."

Amy traced the designs of the wood of the table that spread between them. "You like your job as Senior Undersecretary?"

Albus nodded enthusiastically. "I love it, everyday brings a new puzzle, and I'm never bored anymore, my life is busy! And the people are great, everyone's so nice – "

He continued for a while about his new job at the Ministry of Magic, but Amy tuned out. She watched the grin on his face, the light in his eyes, his hands that flew as he talked. She sighed. She was proud of Albus, he was the youngest to ever take this position after all, and she was happy for him, but his job took away from their time together. She got to see him less and less. She feared he would never open his eyes and see what Amy really wanted.

The gum-smacking waitress shook Amy from her reverie and she hastily ordered a hamburger and drink. She turned back to Albus, reaching again into her pocket.

"So, any thoughts for the future?" Amy asked nonchalantly, slowly drawing the little box from the depths of her pocket.

Albus shrugged. "Not really. I think I'll just stick to this job, it has good pay too."

"No, I mean your future - er – _outside _your job."

Albus's eyebrows knitted together. "What do you mean?"

Amy sighed and shook her head, shoving the box back into the folds of her jacket. She turned her attention to a young teenage couple at the opposite side of the café. The boy leaned across the table that separated them and hooked some loose hair over the girl's ear. She smiled that gushy, silly, beautiful smile of someone in love. Amy looked back over at Albus, who was folding and refolding his napkin.

"So, the Scamanders are throwing their spring party this weekend." Amy said casually, her head turned down. She watched through her eyelashes as Albus fidgeted nervously with the saltshaker.

"Yeah. The Scamanders always throw the most interesting parties, don't they?"

Amy scowled at her shoes then stood abruptly. "I'm going to the restroom." She muttered flatly and marched to the women's room. Inside, Amy locked herself in the big handicapped bathroom stall and gripped the sink tightly. Amy Longbottom stared back at her from the mirror. She sighed, and Amy sighed too. Turning away from her reflection, Amy pulled the little velvet box from her pocket, holding it gently in the palm of her hand like a fragile baby bird. Like her fragile heart. Carefully, she flipped open the top, revealing the sparkling diamond ring displayed on the silk cushion inside. Amy clenched her fist angrily around the box, crushing the baby bird. Crushing her heart. This ring shouldn't be in her pocket! It should be in Albus's! This was all wrong. Why couldn't he take the hint? Did he not love her as she did him? A single tear fell from her eye and landed on the ring, followed by a sob.

"Everything alright in there, sugar? I thought I heard crying." A voice said, following a sharp knock on the stall door. Amy hesitantly unlocked the door and opened it a crack. To her surprise, the blue eye of the girl she had watched enviously stared back. The girl forced the door open and stepped inside, closing it after her. She sat down on the toilet seat, propped her elbows on her knees, and fixed her gaze on Amy.

"Tell me what's the matter, honey."

Amy slumped her shoulders in defeat. Everything is so mixed up as it is, she might as well spill her problems out to a strange girl ten years younger than her as the cherry on top.

"Okay, well Albus and I have been together for five years, and I really love him." She looked meaningfully at the girl. "I really love him."

The girl nodded solemnly for her to continue.

"And I want to marry him. I've been waiting for years, _years, _for him to propose, but he still hasn't. At first I thought he wasn't ready, but now it's been five years. How much time does he _need? _I keep dropping hints, but he doesn't seem to get the hints. I – I bought a ring and I was going to propose myself, but I just _can't do it_. This whole thing is wrong! I shouldn't be proposing to him, _he_ should be getting down on his knee in front of _me! _What if it's not that he needs time, what if he doesn't like me? I mean, it's been a long time, has is love for me faded away? What if I do hike up my skirts and pull out the stupid ring and he says _no? _I've been carrying around this darn thing for almost a month, but I just don't know what to do!"

Amy fell against the sink, exhausted from it all. The girl sat quietly for a moment, thinking over Amy's speech. A million years passed between that moment and the next, when she flipped her bleach-blonde hair over her shoulder and stood up.

"What have you got to loose?" She prompted, pulling a stick of blood red lipstick from her oversized bag.

"Albus and my dignity." Amy answered automatically.

"What have you got to gain?"

"A life with Albus."

The girl turned and looked directly at Amy, her heavily lined eyes brimmed with wisdom far beyond her years.

"If you love that boy enough, then you will take the chance." With a flip of her hair and a spin of her skirt, the girl was gone, leaving only the faintest scent of vanilla and cinnamon perfume in her wake.

Amy stood quietly rooted to the spot, mulling over what the stranger had said. Taking one last look in the mirror, one last squeeze of the box, one last sniffle, Amy flipped her hair, spun her skirt, and left the bathroom, wishing she could be as dramatic as the girl had been. As she walked to her booth, Amy caught the eye of the girl, who was back in her boyfriend's arms. The girl nodded and smiled.

Suddenly bursting with purpose and sweet confidence, Amy marched to Albus, lowered herself to one knee, pulled the box from her back, and opened it. She ignored Albus's shocked expression and stormed on.

"Albus Severus Potter, I love you and I always have and I always will. I have waited long enough for you to do this yourself, so I decided it was about time I did it. Will you marry me?"

In the moment afterwards ever worry and fear and doubt Amy ever had about this moment seemed to flood her mind, and she wondered how people in movies could do this without bursting into tears. But to Amy's extreme delight, Albus threw himself at her, pulling her to him.

Amy knew that they were on the ground of a grimy café, that everyone was watching them, that her skirt wasn't hiding her underwear properly, but she couldn't have cared less. She was in Albus's arms, his laughter in her ears. Nothing could have been more beautiful. She was filled with happiness like she'd never felt before, and felt tears explode from her eyes when Albus called to the café, to the world, to _her_,

"Yes!"

**A/N: In my headcanon, Albus is extremely shy, and in his love life he constantly fears rejection. He loves Amy very very much, and was planning to propose at some point, but he just put it off again and again in fear that she would say no.**


	7. Young Love

**Victoire, Abel**

I was only thirteen. I know that, so you don't have to tell me again. I realize that I'd only been on Earth for a meager thirteen years, 4,745 days, 113,880 hours. You're going to tell me that's too young to know true love. Tell that to good old Juliet, who died for true love at that age. I know thirteen isn't much, but to a thirteen-year-old, thirteen years is a long time, the only time they know. All I knew was that I loved Abel.

I was happy – happier than I'd ever been. Abel McGonagall was my love, and I was his. We were never seen apart. There was no Victoire Weasley. There was no Abel McGonagall. It was Victoire and Abel, Abel and Victoire. Sometimes I let myself remember those days, but not often, because it hurts too much. I never told anyone, not even Teddy, but I still have the first flower he ever gave me pressed into an old textbook, which I keep under my pillow. Dominique found it once while searching for something in my room. Though I never talked to her about it, I knew she understood immediately what it was. Maybe it's one of those connections sisters are born with. Anyway, when she pulled the pillow back and saw the piece of my heart hidden there she had enough sense not to ask any questions. She simply gave me a meaningful look and carefully replaced my pillow.

I don't know if I took those numbered days with Abel for granted, but I like to think I didn't. How could anyone take something so perfect for granted? Years later I stumbled upon a book by John Green, The Faults in Our Stars. I fell in love with it. After reading and rereading it, I realized that I had my own little infinity with Abel, just like Hazel did with Augustus. I guess that's one reason I loved the book so much – because I felt such a strong connection between Hazel's love life and mine. We loved, we lost, we remember. In my case I'm lucky enough to start again with Teddy, and I like to imagine that Hazel gets a second chance too.

I know funerals mean well, but I've always hated them – ever since Abel's. He deserved more – much more – than to be wept upon by a crowd draped in black, trying to convince themselves that his death was heroic. Oh, yes. Drowning in a lake is quite heroic. Abel wouldn't have wanted that. I knew him better than anyone, or at least I hope so. Abel would have wanted to be sent off to the sound of music, surrounded by love and smiles and bright colors. When I think of him now I try to shroud my mind in those things, hoping to make up for what was lost.

After he died I thought I would never love again. I thought he had taken a piece of my heart away with him, ripped the flesh and left it bleeding and burning. I thought that after he took that piece my heart would never be big enough to love again. After all, my best friend had died. We were together a mere year, but I year was enough. The next year felt unreal. Instead of crying and screaming and demanding someone bring back my love I felt nothing. I was numb except for the burning of my heart where he tore a piece away. I was a beautiful zombie, you could say. A new boyfriend every week, meaningless kisses, empty hugs. At school no one seemed to worry. _There goes Victoire with her newest boyfriend. How does she get all those guys? It's not fair. _I had boys, sure. I never did have love.

Then came Teddy. Of course, he'd been there the whole time; I was just too blind to see it. I guess I was scared. I knew firsthand what could happen when you opened up. They would come in, make you love them, then run away, leaving you with mascara running down you face from crying. Sometimes I think Hazel was wrong. She's not the only grenade, preparing to blow her loved ones to bits. I think everyone has a grenade hidden under their skin, ready to leave destruction in its wake at any given moment.

Eventually I decided that life was short. Abel only lived to be fourteen after all. Who knew when mine would end? When my time comes I want to be able to rise to Heaven happy with all I've done, and what better way to do that then to fill my life with love?

Abel didn't take a piece of my heart after all. My whole heart is still with him. But it's with Teddy too. I thought I would never love someone as much as I loved Abel, but I was wrong. Teddy Lupin is my love, and I am his. I will never forget Abel, because young love is beautiful and doesn't deserve to be forgotten, but it's about time I remember that I won't always be young, so I should love again and again while I still can.

Abel and I had our little infinity, but it's time now to start a new one.

A/N: This one was a little sad, but I hope you liked it. Abel McGonagall is a character I made up, and he was Minerva McGonagall's nephew. Abel died from drowning in a lake in 2013. Please leave a review!


	8. Forever to Blame

Teddy will forever blame himself. It's his fault, after all.

Percy will forever blame himself. It's his fault, after all.

Molly will forever blame herself. It's her fault, after all.

…

"I'm going to run out to the store. We need more diapers, and Aunt Audrey will have my head on a stick if Lucy gets a diaper rash on my watch. Can you two watch over her? I'll be back in ten minutes." Percy said, leaving 15-year-old Teddy and 8-year-old Molly in charge of the house.

Percy marched down the steps of the house, glancing absently up at the full moon. He wrapped his jacket tighter around him. The summer evening was unusually cold, as if foreshadowing dark events to come. Audrey was out with some friends, and Teddy had volunteered to help out with the kids.

Percy pulled open the door of the beat up pickup truck Audrey had insisted they get for emergencies. A rustle in the shrubs made him jump, but he quickly righted himself. _It's just the wind, Percy. Stop being silly. _He blasted the heat and drove away.

…

"What do you want to do?" Molly asked, leaning towards Teddy.

"I don't know – "

"Oh no!" Molly cried, clapping her hands over her face and making Teddy jump. "I forgot to refill the bird feeder!"

Teddy lifted 2-year-old Lucy into his lap, bouncing his knee and making her giggle and coo. "That's okay, Molly. We can just do it – "

"No, we have to do it _now. _I promised Mummy I would. I _have _to." Molly insisted, stamping her foot stubbornly.

Teddy rolled his eyes, but knew better than to contradict her. Molly was infamous for her horrible temper. "Okay. Come on."

Teddy handed Lucy to Molly, instructed her to wait for him, and went to fetch the bag of birdseed from the garage. As he passed by the kitchen window he could have sworn he saw a flash of movement. _It's nothing, probably just a raccoon or something. _He told himself.

…

"Let's go get the birdfeeder down, Lucy." Molly said quietly, knowing full and well that she was disobeying Teddy. She hiked Lucy up on her hip and pushed open the backdoor.

It was a dark, clear night, and the full moon stared down at the two sisters like an eye. Molly shivered and set Lucy down on the porch swing.

"Stay there and I'll go get the birdfeeder." She said, and turned bravely into the dark.

Molly had just reached the big oak tree where the birdfeeder hung when she heard movement behind her. She spun around, heart pounding in her chest.

"Teddy?" She called uncertainly, fear clenching her like a vise.

A dark figure rose from the shadows. Molly saw glinting yellow eyes and the flash of white teeth inside a long muzzle. The figure stood on four feet, it's hunched back bristled with fur and ears like devil horns lay flat against it's back. A growl from deep in its throat ripped through the air.

"TEDDY!" Molly screamed, as the beast lunged towards the helpless toddler on the porch swing.

Screams and snarls spun themselves into a ghastly chorus of horror. Tiny Lucy, whom Molly had rarely seen shed a tear, screamed and screamed. Molly yelled for Teddy, for someone, anyone, to come.

"MOLLY!" Teddy shouted, his eyes bright with fear, appeared at the backdoor, wand in hand. Terror clawed at his heart.

"LUCY! SAVE HER, TEDDY!" Molly cried, tears streaming down her face as she cowered against the tree.

Teddy thrust his wand forward, not thinking about the rules he was breaking as an underage wizard. "_STUPEFY! PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!" _

The beast fell to the ground with a final howl, body bound. The world was still for a moment and even the moon that had silently watched the whole scene slid behind a cloud. The wind stilled and the only noise to be heard was the weak whimpers of Lucy.

…

"She will live, but unfortunately she's received too many bites to escape lycanthropy. There is no known cure, but there are potions to lessen the effects." The Healer at St. Mungo's informed the family.

Percy looked down at his youngest daughter with tears in his eyes. The gashes that twisted up and down her chest and throat would leave scars like dancing flames. Would little Lucy ever be the same?

It was all his fault. If only he hadn't left the house. He was sure the rustling in the bushes had been the werewolf that attacked Lucy, and _if only _he had realized that…

Teddy couldn't bear to look at the toddler lying in the hospital bed, barely breathing. Sweet, smiling Lucy. Why did it have to be her?

It was all his fault. He had _seen _the beast through the window for goodness sakes! He shouldn't left Molly and Lucy unattended. If only he had been there to protect her…

Guilt ripped through Molly like the teeth that ripped her sister. It should have been her, not Lucy.

It was all her fault. Why did she insist on filling the stupid birdfeeder? And why did she disobey Teddy? If only she hadn't been so stubborn…

…

Teddy will forever blame himself. It's his fault, after all.

Percy will forever blame himself. It's his fault, after all.

Molly will forever blame herself. It's her fault, after all.


	9. Veritaserum

**Veritaserum**

…

Albus was shy. He hated it. Of all things, he had to be shy. Everyone had flaws, but why did this have to be his? Why couldn't he have been loud, or obnoxious, or selfish, or mean, or reckless, or anything but this?

…

**Veritaserum**

…

It crippled him. Albus told himself he would fight it, he would change. He tried to, he really did. But he couldn't. He just _couldn't. _

…

**Veritaserum**

…

He fell in love with Amy Longbottom. No one would have ever seen it coming, least of all himself. They were supposed to hate each other – that's how it had always been until now. They were two brilliant students fighting for the position at the top. But he did – he fell for her.

…

**Veritaserum**

…

Years passed. He wanted to tell her. No, he didn't want to. He _needed _to. Needed it like he needed oxygen in his lungs and blood in his veins. He knew he could never do it alone – his shyness would never allow it. He hated what it would come to, but what choice did he have?

…

**Veritaserum**

…

He slipped the little bottle off the shelf, knowing he would be buried alive if he were caught. The bottle felt like dead weight in the pocket of his cloak. That, mixed with the weight that had been on his chest ever since he had realized his feelings for Amy, nearly brought him to his knees.

…

**Veritaserum**

…

Only a drop. Albus mixed it in with his tea, and it frightened him that the tea still looked so innocent. The clear potion left not a trace. No one would ever know except himself.

…

**Veritaserum**

…

"I really like you. I think I'm in love."

…

**Veritaserum**

…

He could barely remember what he had said under the influences of the potion, but it had done its trick. Albus was pleased that Amy knew, yes, and even more so that his feelings were returned.

…

**Veritaserum**

…

But it saddened him that he didn't have the power within him to tell someone he loved them without the help of magic. Albus guessed he never would.


End file.
